Page 35 of Knot Your Sunshine (Snugverse Romcom #2)

Chapter thirty-three

Mia

My legs dangle over the yacht's edge, toes catching spray with each bounce. Salt mist hits my face and laughter bubbles up from somewhere deep in my chest.

This. This is exactly what I needed to get my mind off things.

"There!" Keanu's voice cuts through the engine's hum. "Two o'clock!"

Sleek bodies break the surface in perfect synchronization. One, two, three—no, five dolphins, their skin catching sunlight like wet chrome. The smallest one launches itself skyward, spinning once, twice, before splashing down.

My feet hit the deck and the rail bites into my palms as I lean forward. "Oh my god. Did you see—"

"That's just the warm-up, Sunshine." Keanu's warmth presses against my left side, his whole body vibrating with excitement. "Wait till they really get going."

The pod races alongside our yacht now. The little one jumps again, higher this time, adding an extra flip that sends water cascading in droplets.

"Spinner dolphins." Josh appears at my right, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Stenella longirostris. That juvenile's probably six months old, maybe seven."

"How can you tell?" I keep my eyes on the water, watching two adults leap in perfect tandem.

"See how his rostrum, his beak, is still proportionally shorter?" Josh points as the dolphin surfaces again. I track the movement, comparing the baby to the adults. "And watch his spin. Still wobbles a bit on the axis. Adults can leap ten feet and spin up to seven times."

"Seven times?" I glance at him quickly before another dolphin draws my attention back. "No way."

His hands come up, demonstrating while I watch three dolphins race beneath the surface. "They build angular momentum underwater, then use their tail flukes to generate torque at the surface—" He catches my expression and grins. "Sorry. I'm being a nerd."

"No, I love it." And I do. His eyes light up behind his water-spotted lenses, enthusiasm transforming his whole face. "Tell me more. Why are they even spinning?"

"Well, the really fascinating part is nobody knows exactly why.

" He leans closer, his breath warm on my ear as we both watch the display.

"Communication maybe, different patterns for different messages.

Or echolocation enhancement. Or parasite removal.

" He pushes his wet curls back. "Imagine having a full-body language that happens in mid-air. "

“That’s crazy,” I breathe.

The pod stays with us as we cruise along the coastline, and Keanu starts naming them.

"That's definitely Brad, look at that show-off energy." He points to the one doing triple spins. "And the two that keep jumping together? Obviously Romeo and Juliet."

Josh shakes his head, but he's smiling. "You realize those are probably both males, right? Bachelor pods are common in—"

"Romeo and Julius then. Love is love, Josh."

A massive dolphin surfaces right beside the yacht, so close I could touch its dorsal fin. It rolls slightly, one dark eye meeting mine, and time stops. The intelligence there, the curiosity... my throat closes up.

"Hey there," I whisper.

The dolphin clicks at me, then dives, its tail fluke creating a small rainbow in the mist.

"You okay back there, Captain?" I call to Noa.

He's got one hand easy on the wheel, his whole body relaxed in a way I rarely see. His shirt billows in the breeze, and there's an actual smile playing at his lips. "Never better."

The dolphins follow us for another twenty minutes before peeling away one by one. When the last one disappears, Noa points toward a gap in the coastline. "There's a bay up ahead. Perfect spot for lunch."

We motor into crystal-clear water surrounded by jungle-covered hills. Limestone cliffs rise on one side, and the water shifts from deep blue to pale turquoise where it shallows near white sand.

"Jesus," Keanu breathes. "We're literally the only ones here."

The silence hits me then. No engines, no voices, no civilization at all. Just waves lapping against the hull, birds calling from the forest, the creak of the anchor line.

"It's like the world doesn't exist," I say.

"Good." Noa's voice comes from behind me. His arms circle my waist, chin resting on my head. "Let it not exist for a while."

The spread they've packed makes me laugh, someone has organized everything into perfectly sectioned containers. Fresh pineapple. Grilled mahi-mahi with citrus glaze. Coconut water in actual coconuts, complete with... paper umbrellas?

"Paper umbrellas? Really?"

"Presentation matters," Keanu insists, sprawling on the deck cushions and patting his lap. "Come here, Sunshine. Let me feed you like the queen you are."

I settle against him, his thighs warm under my shoulders. He holds a pineapple chunk above my mouth, just out of reach.

"Keanu—" I turn my head.

"Nuh-uh. You have to order me to feed you, like a queen would."

"I'll bite your fingers."

"Promise?" His grin turns wicked.

I snap at his fingers, catching the fruit. Juice runs down my chin and he wipes it with his thumb, then deliberately licks it clean. I bite my lip at the sight, heat shooting straight between my legs.

"Get a room," Josh says, but he's smiling as he stretches out beside us.

"Why bother with a room when it's just us and this beautiful nature?" Keanu's eyes hold mine, intent despite his playful tone. "Right, Sunshine?"

My face flames as memories of the beach gazebo flood back… curtains or not, we were very much outdoors.

We could do something similar again, except the three of us…

"Oh, you're blushing." Josh sits up, his smile turning mischievous.

"I—we—" My face burns hotter as I get suddenly shy.

"Are you entertaining the idea?" Josh continues, and Keanu's chest shakes with silent laughter beneath me.

Oh my god. Is Josh actually teasing me?

I sit up, cheeks flaming. "L—let's eat our actual food before this conversation gets any more scandalous."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Keanu offers another piece of pineapple. "Can't have you fainting from hunger. You'll need your strength for... later adventures."

Josh actually snorts. "Adventures. Is that what we're calling it?"

"Guys." Noa warns, but he's fighting a smile.

Time slips by in lazy contentment as we eat, laugh, trade stories… The sun moves overhead, marking at least an hour passing, though it feels like minutes. Eventually, Noa stands and stretches.

"There's another spot about fifteen minutes up the coast," he says. "Perfect for snorkeling, if anyone's interested."

"Yes!" I scramble up, still clutching a piece of mahi-mahi. "I want to see sea turtles!"

"Your wish is my command." He heads back to the cockpit, starting the engine.

As we cruise out of the bay, I lean back against the deck cushions, completely content. Keanu's fingers find my hair, playing with the salt-dried strands.

"You know what I believed when I was eight?" His voice is lazy, contemplative. "I was convinced dolphins were aliens. Like scouts from an ocean planet, checking if Earth was cool enough to colonize."

"That's actually not scientifically impossible." Josh doesn't even open his eyes. "Given the vast number of potentially habitable—"

"Nerd."

"Himbo."

"Children," Noa calls from the cockpit, voice carrying amusement. "You're gonna ruin the upcoming dessert service."

“Right, almost forgot.” Keanu pulls out another container, lifting sweet slices of dragon fruit. “The worship must go on.”

"Worship?" I arch an eyebrow.

"Mm-hmm." He trails a finger down my throat. "Complete goddess worship."

His words may be cheesy, but the intensity in his eyes, playful yet edged with hunger, sends a tingle straight between my legs.

"This reminds me the ancient Egyptians worshiped some kind of dolphin deity," Josh starts. "In the city of—"

Plop.

A fat water drop lands directly on his nose.

"Oh, how rude of the rain to—" Plop. Another hits his forehead.

We all look up. The sky, crystal blue seconds ago, now hosts a wall of purple-black clouds advancing rapidly.

"What the—"

The wind hits. One moment still, the next screaming past, whipping my hair into my face. The yacht rocks hard to starboard.

"Everyone hold on!" Noa's already moving. "Life jackets, now!"

The rain starts, hard, cold drops like ice pellets. Then the sky opens and water falls in sheets.

Keanu shoves a life jacket at me. "Arms up!" His fingers work the buckles with urgent efficiency. "Cockpit, before you're completely soaked!"

"Why not go inside?" I have to yell over the rain.

"Too risky to open the hatch with the boat rocking! You could fall and crack your head!"

We stumble toward the covered cockpit, the deck tilting wildly. Keanu's arm locks around my waist as the boat bucks. A wave crashes over the side, leaving me drenched, gasping, spitting salt water.

"This is insane!" I shriek as we duck into shelter.

"Best kind!" Keanu yells back, grinning maniacally despite water streaming down his face. "Noa! How far back to the bay?"

"Five minutes!" His hands never waver on the wheel.

Through the rain, I can barely make out the dark smudge of the bay we just left. The yacht rolls with massive swells, making my stomach swoop.

"The wave dynamics are fascinating!" Josh, still making his way over, has to shout. "See how they're forming those—"

The boat hits a trough at an angle. Josh squeaks, grabbing the rail.

"Still fascinating?" Keanu laughs.

"Absolutely!" Josh's glasses are useless, completely fogged, but his grin is huge. "Did you know waves can reach speeds of—"

Another swell. This time I'm squeaking, clutching Keanu hard enough to bruise.

"Almost there!" Noa's voice cuts through everything, steady and sure.

The bay appears like salvation. One moment we're in chaos, the next we slide between protective cliffs and everything calms. Rain still pounds the roof, but the water here just rolls gently.

"Holy shit." My legs wobble as the yacht stops its wild dance. "Holy actual shit."

"Eloquent," Josh chuckles, wringing out his shirt.

Noa guides us to anchor near the beach, then cuts the engine, leaving only rain drumming and thunder rumbling.

I look around at the deserted beach, the wall of jungle, the protective cliffs. "So what now? Are we... stuck?"

"Until it passes." Noa's scanning our surroundings. "Should be a few hours at most."

"A few hours?" My voice comes out higher than intended. "Noa, it'll get dark in a few hours. What if it takes longer? What if—"

"Hey." His hands cup my face, thumbs stroking my cheekbones. "The yacht's fine. We have supplies, full quarters below with beds, satellite phone if needed."

"We have a satellite phone? Why don't we call for help?"

"No one will sail in this." He jerks his head toward the storm beyond the cliffs. "But I'll call the resort, let them know our position. They'll have rescue on standby if needed. Though honestly? This'll probably blow through by midnight. We'll motor back ourselves."

"But the franchise data—" The thought hits me like another wave. "The end-of-day report—"

"I'll have my assistant have our phones ready at reception." His eyes hold mine steady. "The second we arrive, we check everything. Promise."

"Nothing implodes in a few hours," Josh adds, squeezing my shoulder.

"And hey." Keanu wraps around me from behind. "Worst case? We're stranded on a tropical island paradise with a yacht full of food. And rum."

"There's rum?"

"So much rum."

I look between them, Noa steady as a rock, Josh practically bouncing with excitement, Keanu grinning like he's a storm chaser in a category five a hurricane.

They're right. A few hours changes nothing. Breathe.

"Well then." I wring water from my hair. "Guess we better figure out how to stay warm."

Keanu's laugh rumbles through his chest into my back. "Oh, Sunshine. I've got about twelve ideas."

"Only twelve?" Noa's smile turns dangerous. "Amateur."

"Guys." I turn in their arms, looking up at all three. "Let's start with getting out of these wet clothes."

Josh makes a choking sound. Keanu whoops. Noa's eyes go dark.

Thunder crashes overhead and I shiver, goosebumps rising. But looking at them, I know we're about to generate plenty of heat…